Brazil's unemployment rises to 12.6 percent

Brazil's jobless rate rose in the quarter through February, hitting a higher than expected 12.6 percent, the government statistics office said Thursday. The 0.4 percentage point increase on the previous quarter was the second consecutive rise. Analysts polled by the financial newspaper Valor had expected unemployment to reach 12.5 percent.
The December to February period saw 13.1 million people out of work, compared to 12.7 million in November through January. The nudging up of joblessness follows what had been nine consecutive falls in the index, reflecting what center-right President Michel Temer says is Brazil's steady exit from its deepest recession in history.